US Tariff Impact: Which Products Face the Highest Rates
Not all imports are taxed equally. Some products enter duty-free; others face rates that dramatically raise their cost. Country of origin, special trade programs, and targeted policy actions all shape what importers actually pay.
Key Takeaway
The US average tariff rate is low, roughly 3–4% across all imports. But averages mask wide variation. Footwear can face 37–48% duties. Textiles and apparel run 10–32%. Sugar, tobacco, and certain dairy products face high specific or compound rates. Additionally, Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods add 7.5–25%+ on top of the base rate for thousands of products.
Product Categories with the Highest Tariff Rates
While most US tariff rates are below 5%, certain product categories have historically carried very high duties, often reflecting protected domestic industries or past trade negotiations. The highest tariff rankings on PlainTariff show the current extremes. Key high-tariff categories include:
| Product Category | HTS Chapter(s) | Typical General Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tobacco products | 24 | 350%+ (specific) |
| Peanuts | 12 | 131.8% (over quota) |
| Footwear (certain types) | 64 | 37.5–48% |
| Sugar (over quota) | 17 | ~35.74¢/kg |
| Apparel (man-made fiber) | 61–62 | 28–32% |
| Wool fabrics | 51 | 25% |
| Certain dairy (over quota) | 04 | Up to 94.5¢/kg |
| Cotton (over quota) | 52 | 31.37¢/kg |
Browse individual chapters to see full rate tables for any product category.
Avg US Tariff
3.4 %
trade-weighted average
Peak Tobacco Duty
350 %+
specific rate, Chapter 24
Duty-Free Lines
5,979
of 35,571 HTS items
Section 301 Range
7.5-25 %
on designated goods
How Country of Origin Changes the Rate
The same product can have dramatically different duty rates depending on where it was made. The HTS general rate applies to goods from WTO member countries, about 165 trading partners. But dozens of special rate programs can lower that rate to zero or raise it significantly above the general rate.
| Origin Program | Countries | Rate Impact |
|---|---|---|
| USMCA | Canada, Mexico | 0% on qualifying goods |
| KORUS | South Korea | 0% on most goods |
| US-Japan TPA | Japan | Reduced rates on many goods |
| GSP | ~120 developing countries | 0% on eligible products (when active) |
| AGOA | Sub-Saharan Africa | 0% on eligible products |
| Section 301 | China (most goods) | +7.5%–25% on top of general rate |
| Section 232 | Steel/aluminum exporters (varies) | +25% (steel), +10% (aluminum) |
| Column 2 | Cuba, North Korea | Very high (often 45–110%) |
Industries Most Exposed to Tariff Risk
Several US industries are heavily affected by tariff rates, either because they import high-tariff goods, because they rely on imported components subject to additional duties, or because they compete directly with protected domestic producers:
52.7% effective on Chinese synthetic-fiber jackets
25% on top of base MFN rate
44.7% on raw cane sugar above TRQ
14.5-15% on crystalline silicon PV cells
Apparel and Footwear
Apparel retailers face base MFN rates of 10–32% on textile products, plus Section 301 duties adding 7.5–25% on Chinese-made goods. A $50,000 shipment of synthetic-fiber jackets (HTS 6201.93) from China can cost $50,000 × (27.7% MFN + 25% Section 301) = $26,350 in duties, a 52.7% effective rate pushing the landed cost to $76,350.
Consumer Electronics
Importers sourcing electronics from China face Section 301 tariffs on components and finished goods. Smartphones (HTS 8517.13.00) have a 0% MFN rate but may carry additional Section 301 duties. Laptops and monitors (HTS 8471) had Section 301 exclusions that expired, making cost planning difficult for importers.
Steel and Aluminum Users
Manufacturers pay a 25% Section 232 surcharges on steel inputs and 10% on aluminum. A furniture maker importing $100,000 in steel tubing pays $25,000 in Section 232 duties alone, on top of any base MFN rate of 0–6.5%. This raises production costs across automotive, construction, and industrial sectors.
Food Importers and Agricultural Tariff-Rate Quotas
Sugar importers face quota-based tariffs: in-quota rates of 0.625¢/kg vs. over-quota rates of 35.74¢/kg, a 57x increase. Dairy, peanut, and cotton importers face similar TRQ structures. An over-quota sugar import of $20,000 worth of raw cane sugar can incur $8,935 in duties (44.7% effective rate) vs. just $156 in-quota (0.78%).
Solar Energy
Solar panel importers face Section 201 safeguard tariffs of 14.5–15% on top of any base rate, which have been extended multiple times. Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells (HTS 8541.40) carry these additional duties regardless of country of origin, with limited exceptions.
Products with Zero or Very Low Tariffs
Many products enter the US at zero duty under the general MFN rate. These include most crude oil and energy products, most pharmaceuticals, most semiconductors, many aircraft and aerospace components, and many industrial machinery parts. The duty-free items ranking on PlainTariff shows the scope of zero-rate imports across the HTS.
Zero rates often reflect international agreements, such as the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) covering electronics and semiconductors, or reflect deliberate policy choices to keep input costs low for downstream US manufacturers.
Using PlainTariff to Research Rates
PlainTariff covers the full USITC HTS 2026 Basic Edition general rates. To research tariff exposure for a product or industry:
- Use the highest tariffs ranking to identify the most heavily taxed categories.
- Browse a specific chapter to see all rates within a product category.
- Search by HTS code or description to find a specific tariff line.
- Read the guide on how HTS codes work to understand the classification structure.
Note that PlainTariff reflects the HTS base general rates. Additional tariffs from Section 301, Section 232, or other trade actions are applied by CBP on top of the base rate and are not reflected in the HTS general rate column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which product categories have the highest US tariff rates?
The highest general duty rates in the USITC HTS are found in a handful of categories. Tobacco products (Chapter 24) can exceed 350% specific duties. Sugar and sugar products (Chapter 17) carry high compound rates. Certain footwear (Chapter 64) carries general rates of 37.5–48%. Textile and apparel products (Chapters 50–63) often run 10–32%. Some dairy products, peanuts, and cotton carry high tariffs or tariff-rate quotas. Use the PlainTariff rankings to see current highest-rate tariff lines.
How does country of origin affect the tariff rate?
Country of origin is one of the most important factors in determining the actual duty paid. The "general" (MFN) rate applies to WTO member countries. Goods from Free Trade Agreement partners, like Canada, Mexico (USMCA), South Korea (KORUS), Australia, and Japan, often qualify for 0% rates on most products. Additional tariffs may apply to specific countries under Section 301 actions (e.g., Chinese goods) or Section 232 actions (steel and aluminum from most countries). The "Column 2" rate, reserved for non-MFN countries like Cuba and North Korea, can be 10x the general rate.
What are tariff-rate quotas (TRQs)?
A tariff-rate quota sets a lower tariff rate on a limited quantity of imports and a higher rate on quantities above that threshold. For example, the US may allow a set volume of imported sugar at 0.625 cents/kg, but charge 35.74 cents/kg on all sugar above that quota. TRQs are common in agricultural products: dairy, beef, sugar, tobacco, peanuts, and cotton. They allow some imports while still protecting domestic producers from unlimited competition.
What is the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP)?
The GSP is a trade program that allows certain products from qualifying developing countries to enter the US duty-free. It was first enacted in 1974 and covers thousands of HTS tariff lines. Not all products are eligible, and country eligibility can be revoked if a country violates GSP conditions. The GSP has lapsed and been renewed multiple times, creating periods of uncertainty for importers. Its current status should always be verified through CBP or the USTR website.
What Section 301 tariffs are currently in effect?
Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods were first imposed in 2018 and expanded in subsequent rounds. They apply to a wide range of products, from industrial machinery to consumer electronics to furniture, with additional rates of 7.5%, 15%, 25%, or higher stacked on top of the existing MFN duty. The rates and affected product lists have changed significantly over time, and some product exclusions have been granted and later expired. Always verify current Section 301 applicability with the most recent USTR lists, as they are not reflected in the base HTS general rate.
How do tariffs affect US manufacturers who import components?
Tariffs on imported components raise input costs for US manufacturers. A furniture maker importing hardware from China, or an automaker importing steel, pays higher tariffs on those inputs. This can make US-made finished goods more expensive than foreign competitors who source the same inputs duty-free. The US has a system of tariff exclusions, duty drawback, and Foreign Trade Zones to mitigate some of these impacts. However, navigating these programs requires significant administrative effort, which disproportionately burdens small manufacturers.
Sources
- U.S. International Trade Commission, Harmonized Tariff Schedule 2026 Basic Edition
- U.S. Trade Representative, Section 301 tariff lists and product exclusions
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff actions
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Tariff-rate quota administration
- Congressional Budget Office, Tariff revenue and economic impact analysis
This content is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or trade compliance advice. Tariff rates, trade programs, and country-specific duties change frequently due to executive and legislative action. Always verify current applicable rates with US Customs and Border Protection or a licensed customs broker before making import decisions.
Sources & data notes
The figures in this guide come from two public datasets: the U.S. International Trade Commission’s Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) for duty rates and classifications, and the FAO FAOSTAT trade database for agricultural import and export flows. Both are queried directly, so the numbers here match the listing and detail pages elsewhere on PlainTariff.
A few limits worth knowing: tariff rates can change between USITC revisions – Section 301 and 232 actions, anti-dumping and countervailing duties – so always confirm a current rate at hts.usitc.gov before acting on it. FAO trade values lag one to two years behind the calendar date and are converted from FAO’s 1,000-USD reporting units. Where a number is illustrative rather than queried from the data, it is labeled as an example.
